Knitting-machine



No. 608,049. Patented July 26, I398.

A. V. GRUUPE.

1 KNITTING MACHINE.

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No. 608,040 Patented July 26, I898.

A. V. GRUUPE'.

KNITTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Dec. 2 1, 1897.)

(No Model.) Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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WIT/M8858: l/YVEMIO ATTORNEY.

n1: uonms PUERS ca. PHDTO-UTHO. WASHINGTON, n. c,

ANDREVVV. GROUPE, OF MOORE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES L.

BRANSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

KNITTING-QMACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming a Letters Patent No. 608,040, dated July 26, 1898.Application filed December 21, 1897. Serial lib- 662,810. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDRE V. GROUPE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Moore, in the county of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Knitting-Machines,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification.

The object of this invention is to provide,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section as on the line 00 00 of Fig. 2 with theneedle-cylinder and anecdle included. Fig. 4 is a detail in section ofthe picker mechanism as on the line 3 y of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a sectionof the pickerarm as on the line a z of Fig. 3, showing the jointtherefor. -Fig. 6 is a development of the interior of the cam-cylinderand the needle-heels therein, showing the picker as adj usted to engagethe active needles and lift them successively out of action. Fig. 7 is asimilar view showing the picker as adjusted to engage idle or upthrownneedles and depress them successively into action. Fig. 8 is a similarview showing the position of the picker in respect to the needle-heelsduring straight-ahead or tubular knitting. Fig. 9 is a similar Viewshowing a slight modification of the cams.

l designates the bed of the machine; 2, the cam-cylinder; 3, theknitting-cams; 4, the needle-cylinder, and 5 the needles. Theknitting-cams comprise the central cam a, the side or stitch cams b b,the raising-cams c c, and the upper depressing-cams d d, which latterareconstructed in two parts with an intervening space between theiropposing bev-v eled ends. Otherwise the cams are ormay be of usualconstruction. Within this space is a picker device, which is soconstructed and arranged as to eifect the raising and the lowering ofactive and inactive needles, respectively,'as the requirements'of thework may demand. In the present instance this device embodies an arm orlever 6, the free end of which is oppositely notched, so as to en-' gagethe needle-heels in its path irrespective of the direction ofits/movement. This end projects into the cam-cylinder, its outer endbeing pivoted to a rotary head 7, fitted to an opening in the wall ofsaid cylinder. The fulcrum or pivotal connection of the lever ispreferably, though not essentially, a balland-socket joint, whereof theball 8 is formed on the end of the lever and the socket is formedpartially on an outwardly-extending arm 9 on the rotary head, the ballbeing maintained in place by a socketed cap-plate 10 or the like.reception of a two-part retaining-plate 11, that is secured to the wallof the cylinder by screws or other means. In the head is formed aV-shaped opening 12, through which extends into the cylinder the free orneedleengaging end of the lever, whereby the latter may be moved andguided in diverging paths. Normally this end of the lever is yieldinglymaintained at the apex of the opening. For this purpose there is hereinrepresented a bow-sprin g 13, which is affixed to the end of the arm 9by screws or the like, so as to embrace the lever. The limbs of thespring are provided with teats 14, which, bearing upon suitably-locatedstubs 15 on the rotary head, limit the forward movements of the limbs,yet the lever when it is moved in either of the paths bears against theopposing limb and travels in opposition thereto, which limb upon therelease of the leverreturns the latter toits normal position. When therotary headis in one position, the paths diverge upwardly. When it ismoved a half-turn, the paths are inverted-i. e., they divergedownwardly. Thus irrespective of the position of the head the lever iscapable of movement in the diverging paths.

The \l-shaped opening is so formed that when the head is in one positionthe apex of the opening is adjacent to the top of the cam The head isflanged for the a, and the diverging paths extend to and above the nosesof the upper cams d d, respectively, as indicated in Fig. 6, and thatwhen the head is in the reverse position the apex is above the top ofthe cams d d, and the diverging paths extend below the noses of saidcams, as indicated in Figs. 7 and 8.

During the knitting of straight-ahead or tubular work-as, for example,in the formation of the leg or the foot of a stocking-the head is in theposition illustrated in Fig. 8 2. 6., with the paths divergingdownwardly and the picker, perforce, above the knittingcams. Preparatoryto the narrowing. and widening operation-as, for example, in theformation of the heel or the toe of a stocking-the head is turned ahalf-revolution, in which case the head occupies the position shown inFig. 6, the picker thus riding upon the underlying needle-heels,one-half of the entire series of needles is raised out of action in theusual manner, and the cam-cylinder is then turned sufiiciently to allowthe knittingcams to clear the active needles, the picker thereuponassuming its position at the apex of the opening. The cylinder is thenreciprocated. In the first stroke-assuming the movement to be in thedirection of the arrowthe picker impinges against the firstneedle-heelin its path and is thrust upward thereby, the engaged needlebeing lifted by and with the picker until the latter recedes from theknitting-cams, in which case the needleheel is released at a point abovethe nose of the upper cam and is directed thereby out of action. Uponthe escape of the needle the picker being depressed by the spring ridesupon the underlying needle-heels until the knitting-cams reach the openspace at the end of the stroke, in which case the picker resumes itsnormal or active position. In the reverse stroke the picker engages thefirst opposing needle-heel, recedes in the opposite path against theaction of the spring, and carries the engaged needle above the nose ofthe upper cam, which needle is thereby directed out of action. In thisway during the reciprocations of the cam-cylinder the picker acts uponthe end needles of the two fashioning series and lifts them out ofaction in alternate succession until the requisite narrowing has beeneffected. This being done the head is rotated to reverse the position ofthe picker, in which case during the succeeding reciprocations of thecam cylinder it acts upon and is actuated by the previously upthrown oridle needles and returns them successively to action in inverse order tothat in which they were upthrown as above described.

Obviously the rotary head may be either manually or automaticallyadjusted, and it may be retained in positions of adjustment by frictionor otherwise.

Mechanism for automatically operating the head is herein shown, the samecomprising a segmental rack 16, movable toward and from the outer flange17 of the head, which is serrated or toothed similarly to a pinion, asillustrated. When the rack is moved inward, the toothed head engages thesame and is thereby partially turned. When the rack is retracted, thehead in its traverse is unaffected thereby. In the present instance therack is formed on or secured to a slide 18, which is fitted to a guide19 on the bed-plate and is maintained normally retracted by asuitablylocated spring 20, so as to lie in the path of a pattern or camwheel 21 or the like, which at certain stages coacts with the slide toeffeet the requisite adjustments of the rack.

The inner flange 22 on the head is provided with two diametricallyopposite notches 23 23. A spring-dog 24 is affixed to the bracket, so asto bear against the flange and engage either of the notches movedthereto and thereby retain the head in either position of adjustment.The dog is provided with a projecting stud 25, and the rack is providedwith an extension 26, having a beveled end portion, which when the rackis moved inward lies in the path of the stud and thereby upon theadvancement of the cam-cylinder depresses the stud and disengages thedog from the notch in the head to permit the partial rotation of thelatter. When the head has been turned a halfrevolution, as aboveexplained, the dog engages the then opposing notch to lock the head inplace.

In the knitting-cams illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8, inclusive, thestitch-cams are represented as pivoted wing cams.

In Fig. 9 the stitch-cams are shown as fixed, and the rotary head isrepresented as provided with a cam c at or adjacent to the apex of theV-shaped opening, which cam is designed to direct the needle-heels tothe picker, as shown.

I claim 1. The combination, with a cam-carrier,"its

cams, a needle-cylinder and its needles, of a single needle-pickingdevice provided with oppositely disposed needle engaging portions, anddiverging guides with which the said device coacts during the forwardand reverse strokes of the carrier.

2. The combination, with a cam-carrier, its cams, a needle-cylinder andits needles, of a single needle-picking device provided with oppositelydisposed needle engaging portions, and a movable support thereforprovided with diverging guides with which the said device coacts, duringthe forward and reverse strokes of the carrier.

3. The combination, with a cam-carrier, its cams, a needle-cylinder andits needles, of a single needle-picking device provided with oppositelydisposed needle engaging portions, and a rotary supporting-head thereforprovided with diverging openings which afford guides for said device inthe forward and reverse strokes of the carrier.

at. The combination, with the cam-carrier and its knitting cams,including lateral stitch-cams, of a single needle-picking device locatedintermediate said stitch-cams, and invertible means to guide said devicein upwardly-diverging paths to lift the needles, and indownwardly-diverging paths to depress the needles.

5. The combination, withacam-carrier and its knitting-cams, includinglateral stitchcams, of an invertible supporting and guiding head, and asingle needle-picking device thereon located intermediate saidstitchcams and adapted, when the head is in one position, to move twoseries of needles out of action in alternate succession, and when inanother position to move said needles into action in alternatesuccession.

6. The combination, Withacam-carrier and its cams, of a needle-pickerwith oppositelydisposed needle-en gaging portions, means for guidingsaid picker in diverging paths, and means for maintaining said pickernormally at the junction of said paths.

7. The combination, with a cam-carrier and its cams, of a needle-picker,with oppositelydisposed needle-en gaging portions, means for guidingsaid picker in diverging paths, means for maintaining said pickernormally at the junction of said paths, and a movable support for saidpicker.

8. The combination, with a cam-carrier and its cams, of a needle-picker,with oppositelydisposed needle-engaging portions, means for guiding saidpicker in two downwardly-diverging paths and in two upwardly-divergingpaths, and means whereby the picker may be held yieldingly at thejunctions of the respective diverging paths at predetermined intervals.

9. The combination, with a cam-carrier and its cams, of a rotary head, aneedle-picker thereon, with oppositely-disposed needle-engagingportions, means for guiding said picker in two diverging paths, andmeans for maintaining said picker normally at the junction of saidpaths.

10. The combination, with a cam-carrier and its cams, of a rotary head,a needlepicker thereon, with oppositely-disposed needle-engagingportions, means for guiding said picker in diverging paths, means formaintaining said picker normally at the junction of said paths, andmeans for rotating said head.

11. The combination, with a camcarrier and its cams, including atwo-part top cam, of a needle picker, invertible means for guiding saidpicker in diverging paths intermediate the parts of said top cam, andmeans to maintain said picker at the junction of said paths.

12. The combination, with a cam-carrier and its cams, of a lever jointed'exteriorly of the carrier, provided with oppositely-disposedneedle-engagingportions,and extended into said carrier, means to guidesaid lever in diverging paths, and means to maintain said lever at thejunction of said paths;

13. The combination, with a cam-carrier and its cams, of a leverextending into said carrier and having a ball-and-socket connec tionexteriorly thereof so as to swing in diverging paths, means to guidesaid lever, and means to maintain said lever at the junction of saidpaths.

14. The combination, with a cam-carrier and its cams, of a rotary head,a needlepicking lever jointed thereon, provided with oppositely disposedneedle engaging portions, and extended into the carrier, means to guidesaid lever in diverging paths, and means to maintain said lever at thejunction of said paths.

15. The combination, with a cam carrier and its cams, of arotary head,means for rotating the same, a needle picking lever jointed on saidhead, provided with oppositely-disposed needle-engaging portions, andextended into the carrier, means to guide said lever in diverging paths,and means to maintain said lever at the junction of said paths.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affiXed my signature in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANDREW venourn.

